Governance of water and sanitation services for the peri-urban poor
Subtitle: A framework for understanding and action in metropolitan regions
Contributors: Allen, Adriana; Davila Julio D; Hofmann, Pascale
Publisher: Development Planning Unit, University College London
Published: 2006
Place of publication: London
Description: This book is one of several outputs from a three-year collaborative research project coordinated from London by the Development Planning Unit, UCL. The project sought to offer “a conceptual and practical tool for those involved directly or indirectly in the long-term planning and daily management of basic service provision in the metropolitan regions of developing countries”. The authors do not focus on the more “technical aspects of designing and building infrastructure” but seek instead “to provide guidance to better comprehend the institutional and governance challenges of improving access to these basic services for poor peri-urban households and small-scale enterprises”. The research was funded by the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID).

The book is structured in three parts. Section 1 (Understanding the Issues) presents some background information on the basic concepts and definitions that support the research. This is based on a combination of information collected expressly for this project and research done in different countries of the developing world by other authors. Section 2 (Taking Action) uses the socially constructed water cycle to highlight the specific issues that arise in the provision of water and sanitation services in the context of the peri-urban interface, paying particular attention to the actors involved in the process and their roles, strengths and weaknesses. This section also examines the challenges faced by peri-urban dwellers, service providers and regulators to improve access to water and sanitation for the poor and to enhance the management of the natural resource base. Section 3 (Learning from Experience) summarises a number of initiatives from around the world which address the problems and Illustrate some of the principles outlined earlier in the book. The discussions in Sections 1 and 2 are supported with evidence from the five case studies examined as part of the project as well as with the occasional use of the case study material in Section 3 and other sources.